It's been a while since I have been able to have some stick time with my Miss Elam nitro. I have been very cautious to take care of my baby and her engine in the off time. I make sure to turn the engine over with a couple of drops of after run oil at least twice a month just to help keep things fresh and coated. Not to mention talking to it and giving it words of encouragement in preparation of the days on the water to come. But lets keep that between us ok!
When I last ran her she was delivering a good amount of power out of her Proboat .18 and was very, very reliable. No problems at all. The .18 would hold a tune very well and truth be told it made my buddy sick to his stomach that I could just start her up and throw her in with only small tweaks to the needle to get her dialed in while he tried and tried to get his boat set up.
Now, however, I am having problems with keeping my boat running. It seems fine while on the bench. I can rev her up and the only thing that I can notice is a slight lag in the throttle response which I had noticed when I ran her last (months ago).
The problem occurs after she gets in the water. I get about a half lap around the pond and just when the boat sounds like it is getting on the pipe it bogs down and dies. I have tried to richen it up thinking that it was leaning out; I also tried to lean it out thinking that she was running too fat and was not getting the RPM's she needed. The only thing that helps me to get more than a half lap and burn through a whole tank is if I run the boat at about 1/2-3/4 throttle. If I hold it at full throttle for more than a second or two (literally) it dies. ARRRRRGH!
I do have experience in dialing in a nitro engine, more on land than on water but nevertheless I am bummed because I can't figure it out! It is probably something simple that I am overlooking and need to be smacked in the back of the head for doing so. Feel free to smack away! lol
I have a feeling that the next time this happens I am going to throw my transmitter in after it and call it good!
Any help is appreciated of course. Thanks in advance!

Hi
Have you checked the tank pressure line from the exhaust pipe is clear,checkthe clunk fitting hasnt doubled over/kinked and is also clear and clean,carb is clean and free of deposits.Im betting clunk tank fitting as its happened to me twice now
Cheers
Wozza

Thanks for the tip Au Wozza
this is exactically what happenend to me yesterday at the lake
with my 80's vintage OS .46. messed with it over and over and only managed to screw up the formerly perfect carb settings

Check the tank and fuel lines. Look for obstructions/kinks, as well as pin holes. If there's a lag when you give it gas that means it is on the rich side (and is ideal, because it'll lean out on the water), but you don't want so much lag that it bogs.

Typically if it dies as its coming on the pipe, its too lean.

I'd also check the carb to make sure there isn't anything blocking the fuel into it. I went through the same thing with a K&B 3.5cc, and the problem ended up being some gunk inside the needle assembly.

Do you have cats at home? I dissasembled the carb on one of my planes that was having problems,and found about 4 or 5 cat hairs in the carb body, wrapped around the needle. After that it ran great.(damn cats) I would just replace all your lines, suck and blow, it's cheap, and should be done on a regular basis.